Method and apparatus for enabling a motorized vehicle to stop and/or start on ice and snow

ABSTRACT

The present invention concerns a method and apparatus for enabling a motorized vehicle to stop and/or start on ice and snow. More particularly the present invention relates to a method and apparatus which allows the driver of a motorized vehicle to safely come to a complete stop on icy/snowy roads without skidding and which also allows the driver of the motorized vehicle to move forward from a stopped position on icy and snowy roads without slippage between the wheels of the motorized vehicle and the road surface.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for enabling amotorized vehicle to stop and/or start on ice and snow. Moreparticularly the present invention relates to a method and apparatuswhich allows the driver of a motorized vehicle to safely come to acomplete stop on icy/snowy roads without skidding and which also allowsthe driver of the motorized vehicle to move forward from a stoppedposition on icy and snowy roads without slippage between the wheels ofthe motorized vehicle and the road surface.

The apparatus of the present invention involves the application ofcompressed air to one or more sand reservoir containers located withinthe motorized vehicle and delivering the sand to the leading surface ofthe motorized vehicle's tires and/or the road surface immediately infront of these tires.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The problems associated with driving a motorized vehicle safely onicy/snowy roads are well known to anyone who has found it necessary todrive under such conditions. Typically one who drives on icy/snowy roadsoften finds the drive wheels of the motorized vehicle which they areusing are slipping causing the vehicle not to move forward from acomplete stop, and/or causing the vehicle to skid either when stoppingor even in normal driving mode for example when the vehicle is roundinga corner or taking a turn in the road.

The method and apparatus of the present invention is designed toovercome the slippage problem associated with driving under icy/snowyroad conditions and to allow the motorized vehicle to safely transactthe prescribed route without skidding or being prevented from doing sodue to the ice or snow on the road.

While a number of prior art references are available in the art, each ofwhich references are directed to some specific discreet elements of thesystem and apparatus which is described and claimed in the presentinvention, the applicant is not aware of any reference which is directedto the totality of the combination, or its use and function in themanner, described and claimed herein.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to allow the driverof a motorized vehicle to safely operate the vehicle on icy/snowy roadswithout skidding.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the driver ofa motorized vehicle to safely come to a complete stop on icy/snowy roadswithout encountering loss of control of the vehicle due to skidding.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the driver ofa motorized vehicle to initiate forward motion on icy/snowy roadswithout encountering slippage of the vehicle's drive wheels.

Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatuswhich permits a safe and convenient means of dispensing sand or anequivalent material to or near the drive wheels or braked wheels of amotorized vehicle such that the vehicle may be operated on icy/snowyroads without skidding or slippage.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following discussion of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for enabling amotorized vehicle to stop and/or start on ice and snow. Moreparticularly the present invention relates to a method and apparatuswhich allows the driver of a motorized vehicle to safely come to acomplete stop on icy/snowy roads without skidding and which also allowsthe driver of the motorized vehicle to move forward from a stoppedposition on icy and snowy roads without slippage between the wheels ofthe motorized vehicle and the road surface.

The construction and obvious advantages of the system provided for bythe present invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdescription of the various specific embodiments when read in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the apparatus of the presentinvention showing the critical components necessary to carry out themethod claimed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for enablinga motorized vehicle to stop and/or start on ice and snow. Moreparticularly the present invention relates to a method and apparatuswhich allows the driver of a motorized vehicle to safely come to acomplete stop on icy/snowy roads without skidding and which also allowsthe driver of the motorized vehicle to move forward from a stoppedposition on icy and snowy roads without slippage between the wheels ofthe motorized vehicle and the road surface.

The apparatus of the present invention incorporates a device to movesand through a flexible hose in a vehicle. This device is intended tomove sand from a container down through a hose for a distance of up toseven feet and then deposit the sand where the tire meets the road. Themotive force used to transport the sand preferably will be compressedair. A small 12 volt compressor fills a 5-7 gallon compressed air tankto a pressure of approximately 100 psi. The pressure in the tank iscontrolled by a pressure switch that has a hysteresis of approximately30 psi. That is, the compressor will stay on until the air is at 100psi. As the compressed air is used and the pressure falls below 70 psi,the pressure switch will turn the compressor back on until it againreaches 100 psi again. In one embodiment of the present inventioncompressed air is released manually using a toggle switch that is easilyaccessible to the driver. When toggled, a valve opens permitting thecompressed air to escape through the hose.

The actual size of the compressor is not critical and may vary fromabout a 12 volt to about a 48 volt compressor.

It is well known that sand likes to clump, and while it will roll offone's open hand, in a closed container it will act quite like a solid.At the point where the sand leaves the container it is necessary toprevent clumping. Therefore, compressed air is injected at the pointwhere the hose is attached to the container. However, further along thehose, approximately 8 to 12 inches we do want the sand to clump. If thesand does not block the passageway in the hose the compressed air willsimply escape the hose leaving the sand behind. In order to force thesand to clump and block the passageway, a slight trap is created. Thisis accomplished by having the hose, which is positioned vertically as itexits the container, make a turn in excess of 90 degrees creating a bendsimilar to the trap under a kitchen sink. The sand, by force of gravitywill find its way into the trap and block the passageway. When thecompressed air is released into the hose it will efficiently blow thesand through the remaining six feet of hose and out the end, depositingit at or near the point where the tire meets the road surface.

Between the anti-clumping air injection and the trap area where the sandclumps are generally up to three (3) additional air injection points fora total of four. That is, when the toggle switch is activated air isinjected at up to four locations.

At this point, if the compressed air is allowed to continue to escape,the compressed air will prevent the sand from leaving the container. Toprevent this condition, the compressed air must be shut off momentarilyallowing more sand to drop into the trap. Then by releasing compressedair again, new sand will be discharged through the hose and so on. Inthe preferred embodiment of the invention the metering of the sand isaccomplished by toggling the switch. However, it is contemplated thatwhen the toggle switch is held in the ON position a secondary circuitwill control the actuation of the valve and accomplish the metering ofsand automatically. This will cause the discharge of sand to be morerepeatable and quicker.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the useractuates a momentary start switch which results in a preset number andquantity of sand deposits being made. Therefore, one may 1) continuouslyhold down a switch while sand is automatically metered, or 2)momentarily push on a switch resulting in a preset amount of sand beingdeposited.

It has also been found that the container must have a cover which whilenot necessarily air tight must certainly be very snug. Nature likes thepath of least resistance. The compressed air will find its way throughthe sand in the container and out the top if there is no snug fittingcover. In other words the easiest way out must be through the dischargehose.

It should be understood that the apparatus of the present inventioncomprises two independent systems, both tied to the air tank. One systemis used to fill the tank with compressed air, the other to dispense theair into the discharge hose(s).

There are three components needed to fill the tank. The compressor, thetank and the pressure switch. This system is automatic and requires nooperator assistance. The pressure switch is air actuated. When the airpressure is below 70 psi the switch will be closed (ON) and the voltagewill be applied to the compressor, turning it on and pumping up the airin the tank. When the pressure reaches 100 psi the switch will open andthe compressor will shut off.

The dispensing system requires six components. The pressurized tank; theelectrical switch (or electronic circuit); the valve; the manifold; thesand container(s) and the hose(s) to distribute the air. This system isactivated by the vehicle driver. In one embodiment of the invention thedriver will manually toggle the switch. With the switch ON the valvewhich controls the release of air will open allowing the compressed airto flow through the hoses by way of the manifold and blow the sand outthe two discharge hose(s). The manifold is used to distribute the air atup to four air injection sites on each hose. The valve must be openedand closed at approximately one second intervals, in order to accomplishthe efficient discharge of sand through the discharge hoses onto thetire surfaces, where the tire meets the road.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a device parallelingthe toggle switch such as a relay, will be electronically activated byanother circuit which senses the slippage in the vehicle's drive wheelsand/or braking wheels and reacts by initiating the discharge of sand byintermittently turning on the relay. In such an arrangement there wouldalso be provided an override switch which would also allow the vehicledriver to disable the sand dispensing system, such as when the driver isaware that there is no sand in the system, or when no icy or snowy roadcondition exists.

With reference to FIG. 1, shown are the compressed air tank 10, thecompressor 12, actuated by pressure switch 14. Also shown are the closedcontainer 16, connected to the wheels 18 of the motorized vehicle, bymeans of hoses 20. The closed container 16 has a quantity of sand 22which is transported by means of hoses 20 to wheels 18 by means ofcompressed air injected into hoses 20 at various points 24 along hoses20 through injection tubes 26. Injection tubes 26 are connected at oneend to manifold 28 which is supplied with compressed air through valve30 from compressed air tank 10. Valve 30 is actuated using toggle switch32. Transport hoses 20 are provided with a trap 34 to prevent bypass ofthe compressed air without moving sand to the discharge point of hoses20 at wheels 18.

Typically, there may be three or four different injection points for thecompressed air to enter into the hose. These injection points are alwaysupstream from the trap and downstream from the container exit. The airhose from the compressed air tank has a ¼ inch inner diameter. The airis divided into six or eight smaller hoses through the use of a manifolddepending on how many injection points one employs. There are two hoses,one for each tire. The total cross sectional area of the small injectionhoses should be on the order of the 1/16 th square inch. The injectionpoints are equally spaced between the container and the trap and eachinjection site is offset 90 degrees from the adjacent injection site. Atypical portable compressor that is designed for pumping up tires willtake 20 to 30 minutes to fill a 7 gallon tank to 100 psi. All theseparameters can be varied by using a bigger/smaller tank, higherpressures, or a more powerful compressor.

The transfer hose is a critical component of the apparatus of thepresent invention since it has to meet contradictory requirements. Itmust have a substantial wall thickness sufficient to support theinjection tubes or even the implant of the injection tubes in the tubewall. It must be flexible enough to make a curve with a diameter of nomore than 4 inches and it must do so without closing off the tube. Inaddition, the transfer hose must function in the same temperatureenvironment that a vehicle does.

The sand should be on the road within a second of toggling the switch.Successive amounts of sand will be metered out in about one secondintervals. The ability to move the sand is compromised when the airpressure drops below 35 psi.

It is contemplated that the sand, or sand like material, which is usefulin carrying out the method of the present invention will encompass avariety of materials varying from commonly available sand materialspresently used on road surfaces to reduce skidding to more refined andspecifically designed crystalline aggregates which may become availablein the future. The use of a particular type of sand, or sand likematerial, may require varying one or more of the parameters, such as thepressure used, in order to effectively distribute the sand, or sand likematerial, in the manner taught herein.

It will be further apparent to one skilled in this art that theimprovements provided for in the present invention, while described withrelation to certain specific physical embodiments also lend themselvesto being applied in other physical arrangements not specificallyprovided for herein, which are nonetheless within the spirit and scopeof the invention taught here.

1. A method for enabling a motorized vehicle to stop and/or start on iceand snow comprising intermittently distributing a quantity of sand, orequivalent sand like material, to the surface of the vehicle's drivewheels by means of a self-contained on-board apparatus.
 2. A methodaccording to claim 1 for allowing a motorized vehicle to safely come toa complete stop on icy/snowy roads without skidding comprisingintermittently distributing a quantity of sand, or equivalent sand likematerial, to the surface of the vehicle's braked wheels where the wheelsmeet the road surface by means of a self-contained on-board apparatus.3. A method according to claim 1 for allowing a motorized vehicle tomove forward from a stopped position on icy/snowy roads without slippagebetween the wheels of the motorized vehicle and the road surfacecomprising intermittently distributing a quantity of sand, or equivalentsand like material, to the surface of the vehicle's drive wheels wherethe wheels meet the road surface by means of a self-contained on-boardapparatus.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the quantity ofsand is intermittently distributed by means of a self-contained on-boardapparatus which is manually actuated by the user.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the quantity of sand is intermittentlydistributed by means of a self-contained on-board apparatus which isautomatically actuated by a means for sensing the slippage in thevehicles wheels.
 6. The method according to claim 2, wherein thequantity of sand is intermittently distributed by means of aself-contained on-board apparatus which is manually actuated by theuser.
 7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the quantity of sandis intermittently distributed by means of a self-contained on-boardapparatus which is automatically actuated by a means for sensing theslippage in the vehicles wheels.
 8. The method according to claim 3,wherein the quantity of sand is intermittently distributed by means of aself-contained on-board apparatus which is manually actuated by theuser.
 9. The method according to claim 3, wherein the quantity of sandis intermittently distributed by means of a self-contained on-boardapparatus which is automatically actuated by a means for sensing theslippage in the vehicles wheels.
 10. An apparatus for intermittentlydistributing a quantity of sand, or equivalent sand like material, tothe surface of a motorized vehicle's drive wheels where the wheels meetthe road surface comprising an air tank for holding compressed air, acompressor to pressurize the air supplied to the air tank, a pressureswitch to maintain the pressure in the compressed air tank above aminimum level, one or more distribution hoses, each of which isconnected to a closed sand reservoir container, said distribution hosesterminating at a point in proximity to the surface of the drive wheelsof the motorized vehicle, each of said transfer hoses also beingprovided with one or more injection tubes to supply compressed air tothe transfer hoses, said injection tubes being connected at one end to amanifold and at the other end to various points along the length of thetransfer hoses, said manifold connected to the compressed air tank bymeans of a compressed air transfer line having a valve, said valveactuated by a toggle switch.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 10,wherein the actuation toggle switch is manual.
 12. The apparatusaccording to claim 10, wherein the actuation toggle switch is replacedby a means for sensing the slippage in the vehicle's drive wheels and/orbraking wheels and automatically initiating the discharge of sand bymeans of a relay switch.